Maddy looks up, shaking her head slightly and I just shrug, a small grin pulling at my mouth. The look she’s giving me right now makes me want to sweep everything off this table and kiss her again right here.
Unfortunately, I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant with my mother and sister so that might not be a good idea. So instead, I drag my gaze back to my glass.
When the food arrives, it somehow lands on surfing again and Bailey perks up immediately. “We still have to surf sometime.”
Maddy’s smile softens. “Yes, we really should.”
Bailey nods eagerly and Maddy hesitates a second before adding, “We could go next Saturday. If the waves are decent.”
Bailey’s face lights up. “Really? That would be perfect!”
“Of course,” Maddy says, a quiet laugh slipping into her voice. “We’ll have a lot of fun.”
Then after another hour of trying to act normal, Mom reaches for her purse and says, “I’m going to grab the bill. I’ll meet you outside.”
One by one, we scootch out of the booth, standing up. We pass some familiar faces and crowded tables as we walk towards the entrance. Some look up and give a tight nod. When we reach the door, I hold it open and Bailey walks out first, then Maddy follows. She looks up for a moment and our eyes meet for a fraction of a second. She passes a small smile, but her dimples still show. I instinctively reach out and brush my hand on her lower back as I follow her outside. I feel her straighten her back slightly.
We step into the cool night where the warmth of the restaurant disappears behind us. Mom joins us a moment later, the receipt folded neatly in her hand.
Maddy turns to her first, soft and polite like always, pulling her into a quick hug. “Thank you for dinner. It was really nice.”
Mom smiles warmly. “Anytime, sweetheart.”
Then Maddy hugs Bailey, who squeezes her tight and whispers loudly, “Saturday. Don’t forget.”
“I won’t,” Maddy laughs.
Bailey hooks her arm through Mom’s as they start toward the car, but she suddenly slows. “Oh—wait,” she says, pointing toward the sidewalk. “Isn’t that Mrs. Carter?”
Mom squints, then brightens immediately. “Oh my goodness, it is.”
She glances back at us while already drifting in that direction. “We’re just going to say hello for a minute. We’ll meet you in the car, okay, honey?”
“No rush.” Bailey throws me a quick wink over her shoulder.
I laugh, shaking my head. And just like that they’re gone. Leaving Maddy and me alone in the quiet glow of the parking lot.
For a moment neither of us moves. The restaurant behind us hums softly with muffled voices and clinking dishes, but out here the night feels quieter.
She looks up at me. “Well,” she says softly. “That was… nice.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
She narrows her eyes slightly, “Did you enjoy the risotto?”
I just nod my head, completely focused on her eyes only. “Yeah, it was great.”
She snorts. “It wasn’t risotto, you know that right?” There’s a teasing tone in her voice that almost makes me want to beg her to never stop. “It was a pasta dish.”
The playful look in her eyes makes me grin. “Well, what's the difference?”
A small smile plays at the corner of her mouth. “You just copied my order, then?”
I shrug innocently. “I just really liked that dish”
She laughs under her breath. “You didn’t even look at the menu.”
“I looked at the important part.”
